Steamboy: The Rancour
by WaterSpirit1
Summary: The London Great Exhibition is under threat again. Ray must save it but this time he has a girl's secret army, The Rancour, to help him. But will the army be enough to stand up to the evil Masked Man. Discontinued, sorry.
1. The Station Master

Disclaimer: I do not own Steamboy or anything related to Steamboy

SteamBoy: The Rancour

Chapter 1: The Station Master

YEAR 1868

Ray walked beside his Grandfather. They were following a small girl who claimed her 'friend' had made the blueprints for these inventions.

'Grandfather, do you think it is possible for those inventions to work?' Ray asked.

'Anything is possible my dear boy. We will see how it works when we meet this amazing inventor,' his Grandfather stared straight ahead but Ray could see the smile growing across his lips. Ray felt a pang of jealousy but it quickly passed.

'Oh no! No, no, no!' the small child yelled.

'What is happening over there!?' his Grandfather was at once confused by the rising smoke and steam and at the same time anxious.

Ray looked at the smoke, the steam; he heard the sound of metal grinding upon metal.

'It's coming from the Station yard! My friend works there!' the distressed child yelled.

'No! It can't be! It sounds like a boiler under too much pressure!' Ray began to walk faster.

'What do you mean Ray?' his Grandfather turned to ask only to find Ray running down the street towards the yard.

Ray ran to the yard, taking off his coat and hat on the way. He burst into the yard, threw down his things and took in the scene. Workers were standing in a semicircle around a shed with no front. Steam and smoke poured forth as workers wandered around in distress, begging someone to help. The noise was horrible as Ray rushed into the small shed.

He saw a figure in the mist trying with no luck to release a valve.

'This thing about to explode! Do you need any help Sir?!' he yelled to the person.

'Yes. Chuck me the spanner! And I am in no way a sir!' Ray was surprised but threw the object at the voice anyway. 'Thanks!'

'Do you know what the actual problem is?' the shadow moved restlessly as Ray spoke.

'Yeah, too much pressure! I'm going to release it now!'

'You'd better move out quick or you'll be scalded!'

'I know! Oh, for goodness sake the bloody thing is jammed!' there was a yell over the top of the shrieking metal.

'Where are you I'll help?!'

'Over here!' Ray looked through all the steam and saw a girl standing with tools all around her fiercely working at a valve.

She looked up, 'Oh my giddy aunt is that Ray Steam? Please Sir, help me! It stuck on tight and if I find out that son of a bitch glued it on…' she trailed off mumbling to herself. Ray came closer and inspected the valve and sure enough it was glued tight.

'Give me a lead pipe!' he yelled over the grinding noises of the boiler. The girl obliged.

'Now stand back and when I say run, do it!'

'Aye sir, please don't damage the boiler too much. It comes out of my pay!'

'I'll try not too!' the heat of the steam was now becoming unbearable. 'Ready?'

'Yes Sir.'

Ray disliked any one calling him Sir or Dr but there were more important things to do. He heaved all his weight down with the pipe, knocking the wheel of the valve clear off. Steam came pouring out in all directions, hot and fast.

'Run!' he wasn't sure if she heard him over the noise, he hoped so for her sake.

They both came running out hands over head as the boiler gave of one last screech of metal and suddenly emitted a huge cloud of steam. They looked back as silence settled around the station yard. Steam cleared away slowly to reveal a very broken boiler. Lily swore under her breath.

'Thanks very much, Sir. If that had exploded, I don't even want to know what could of happened,' the girl turned to Ray and smiled.

'That's okay; but please stop calling me sir. It's just Ray,' he held out his hand in greeting.

'Well 'just Ray' it was nice to make the undeserved acquaintance of another inventor,' she smiled again as she shook his hand, her short dark brown hair bouncing around in flattened spikes. She turned to the calls of a small girl her almost ran her over with a hug.

'Lily, Lily! Are you okay?! I brought the Dr Steam's and they saw your invention and…and' the girl carried on talking at a hundred miles an hour while she hugged her friend.

Ray looked up at his grandfather who put a hand on his shoulder. His grandfather was watching the two girls and smiling. Ray would s

'I'm okay, a little scalded but I think Dr Ray over there copped more burns than I did,' she turned and smiled at the pair as she released the small child.

'Which…person glued the valve shut? Who ever he or she is they must be mighty stupid because that's damn dangerous,' Ray asked although he felt he knew the answer.

'Do you know the Owners son? The Owner of the whole train station?'

'Yes, I do,' Ray felt the rage building up inside. He remembered the running boys, he remembered the metal pipe, and he remembered the humility that came with the dunce hat. He remembered the Owner's son alright.

'Enough said,' Lily raised her eyebrows and sighed.

A thud sounded behind Ray.

Dr Steam saw the older girl of the pair immediately stand to attention and he watched as her gaze wandered past them. The laughter which had before come from her eyes now faded away and the light blue which a while ago was so stunning, was now hard and cold.

'What is this brat doing here!?' an older man's gruff voice came from behind him. A large man stepped forward and indicated the smaller child with his hand.

Dr Steam could almost see her mind ticking behind her eyes trying to think of an excuse.

'She is a messenger. She brought the Dr Steam's because ….. she saw all the smoke and steam rising from the yard and…' the girl drifted off not knowing why they would come anyway.

'And she thought that all your workers might be in grave danger,' Ray finished for her.

'Well that doesn't explain why I shouldn't dismiss you right here! Look at that boiler you stupid girl!' when the older girl did not look her walked up and turned her head roughly with his big hand. Dr Steam sighed, the girl was not making it any easier for herself.

'I can fix it, Sir,' she said with quiet determination.

'No you can't! That's a new boiler I'll have to buy! Stupid bitch you hit the wheel off! Why did I hire you anyway!' he threw her head aside.

'Because you were and still are a desperate man in more than one way,' the girl smirked.

'Do not dare to answer me back! Leroy, get the whip and set up the ladder!' people gasped at the girls insolence and the fire that burned behind the man's eyes.

'But Sir, Lily just did a very dangerous thing. She saved us all and your yard to Sir,' a sandy blonde youth stuttered. Ray had a flashback to when his friend stuck up for him when he had damaged the boiler. Unfortunately for Lily her friend was younger and smaller than the Station Master.

'GO! Before I fire you too!' when the boy had run off, he pointed a long, fat finger at Lily, 'You….you are fired!'

Dr Lloyd wished with all his heart he could do or say something but it was the Station Masters right to flog anyone that was dismissed because they were bad. By the sound of the girl's insolence she had done many bad things.

'Sir, please do not dismiss this girl. It is my fault the boiler is like that. I hit the wheel off,' the man spun to look at Ray and the boy could see the rage fuming from him.

'Do not get in the way of business, boy! What can a crazy inventor know about business?'

There was a clash as Lily kicked at the ladder the frightened men were trying to lash her to.

'You have no right to flog me!' she cried at the man.

'You are MINE! I have every right in the world!'

'But Sir, you just fired her. She is no longer yours,' Ray cut in quickly but the man just pushed him aside.

'Hear, hear!' Lily cried as she fought against the rope bonds that held her against the hard wooden ladder. Its rungs were hard against her back, leaving red marks evry time she moved.

'Any of you do what you may but she is already there and has defied her master for the last time!' he wielded a small black horse whip.

Lily flinched as Leroy was ordered to take off her jacket and shirt. She hung there, as most of the men snickered at her. She knew why, she was not wearing a corset like all other women. All she had was a bandage like piece of cloth wrapped repeatedly around her chest so nothing was seen. Scars and scratches also covered her back from her other dismissals.

'1…' someone yelled.

Fire shot down her back, red hot. She could hear Ray reasoning with the man but to no

avail. She had done the Station Master wrong for the last time.

'3…' already she could feel the blood ooze slowly down her back.

'4…5…6…' the numbers rolled on like years. Darkness was slowly trying to creep into her eyes but she fought back, like she always had.

By the fifteenth hit Ray could see the tears flowing from the girls eyes as silently and freely as the blood flowed down her back.

He was still trying to reason with the man while out of the corner of his eye he could see Leroy holding back the small girl, who Ray now guessed to be Lily's sister. The girl screamed and thrashed and cried but Leroy's grip on her arms and shoulders was tight.

'For goodness sake don't be cruel. Someone turn the child's head away!' Lily suddenly yelled.

Leroy looked up for a moment and the child struggled out of his grip. Leroy yelped as she bit him in order to get away.

'Lily, Lily, what do they do to you!' the child cried violently as she ran blindly towards Lily.

Ray caught the running child and held her close. He lifted off the ground as her legs still flailed wildly.

'Calm down. Clam down, they will release your friend,' he said gently, trying to avoid being bitten.

'She is my sister! They hurt my sister! Master Steam help! They hurt my sister!' the crying child could be no more than ten.

'For everyone's sake let the õlder girl go!' everyone stopped and turned their heads towards the sound. Dr Lloyd Steam could have an extremely loud voice when he wished it.

'Sir, I usually would let you do what is rightfully yours to do when dismissing a bad worker but you have gone too far!' Ray stared at his grandfather, 'It may have been the girls fault but to flog a woman to twenty hits with no shirt, and in front of her younger sister! That Sir is disgraceful!'

Leroy rushed up to the girl and cut her bonds. She staggered backwards and accepted the shirt he gave back to her. Lily shoved her shirt ungracefully over her head and groggily hugged the child Ray had finally released.

'Get out of my sight!' the large Station Master yelled. Lily took the girls hand and led her out of the yard.

Lily stopped outside the station yard. He legs would not carry her further. She slumped against the brick fence. The darkness was still closing in, it was becoming difficult to hear and see her sister.

'Where will the Rancour Warriors train now?' her sister shook her. Lily's back was on fire, she could hardly speak.

'I don't know, Kira, I don't know,' Lily could no longer see who was talking to her in echoes but felt her arm being pulled by someone far off.

She felt her body lifted off the ground. I'm sorry Kira; I do not know what will happen to you, were Lily's last thoughts before darkness closed in.

A/N: Sorry if I haven't got all the facts right and I'm sorry for any other mistakes I probably made so please review and let me know of them. If you do I'll fix them up. Hope you liked the first chapter.

(I know rancour means bitterness or resentment but it was not meant to mean that. It is 'rang' without the g and 'cour' which in French translates as Station Yard. I used this for reasons you will find out later on.)

Note: The author may have changed history in parts to suit her fictional story


	2. The Masked Man

Disclaimer: I do not own Steamboy or anything related to Steamboy

Steamboy: The Rancour

Chapter 2: The Masked Man

'Where will the Rancour Warriors train now?' Kira shook her sister by the shoulders trying to keep her awake. She could not drag or carry Lily home.

'I don't know, Kira, I don't know,' Lily seemed confused as she looked the other way while she talked. She slumped back on the brick wall with Kira still shaking her.

The older girl would not budge when Kira pulled relentlessly at her arm. Lily was not large in stature; she was actually quite thin and tall, like her older sister had been. Only muscle from years of hard work weighed her down now.

Ray and his Grandfather came around the corner and watched the spectacle, Kira could see them from the corner of her eye.

'Where do you sleep, little girl?' Dr Steam asked gently, bending down on his old knees to be at her height.

'On straw,' Kira little face was set determinedly with the wind blowing her long brown hair around it. She would not give them the address of their house, she was not allowed too.

Ray now bent down too, 'He means, where do you live but judging by your face I don't think you're going to tell us. Is it far?'

Kira liked Ray, he could tell when peoples emotion changed, 'Quite a way, but still in Cheapside. I can't carry Lily.'

Ray nodded as Dr Lloyd spoke, 'Pick her up Ray. She can't go back to their house, she is too injured. I'm sure your Mother won't mind two strangers for awhile. Let's get moving.' Ray knew his mother was a kind woman and would not turn away a hurt girl.

Kira's face lit up quickly, she liked these people a lot. Usually when she dragged Lily home through the streets after a brawl people stared down their noses at her. It was scary, they were all so tall.

Ray could still feel the cold blood seeping through the girl's shirt and onto his arm when they arrived at his house.

'Oh my! What have you boys done!? Who is this?' his mother ran out of the house and onto the front path where they were slowly walking towards the house. Her apron was flapping in the wind and her hands were thrown above her head in distress.

His father came bursting out of the house behind her, 'Father what is this?'

'Calm down Eddie. Ray and I will tell you all when we have attended to this poor girl,' his Grandfather put a hand on his sons shoulder and guided him inside.

Emma came rushing out towards Ray, 'Ray, Ray! You're back!' She stopped dead in her tracks, 'Who is this?'

Ray followed her gaze down to the girl in his arms, 'Someone who needs our help.'

'Why is she in man's clothes and who is the little one?' Emma looked at all of this with much confusion and disdain.

'I don't know, you'll find out soon,' Ray was annoyed and avoided the question; his burden was becoming very heavy and the blood on his arms was drying.

They walked inside together, Emma now nearly as tall as himself, stared at Lily the whole way. His Grandfather talked in a low voice to his mother asking her to attend to the girl as she was badly hurt and that he would explain all later. His mother looked warily at the 'street rat' but obliged.

'Ray, you're bleeding,' Emma suddenly burst out pointing at the arm Lily's back was draped over.

Ray looked down at his arm as his mother ushered them into the room Emma was staying in. 'It's not my blood,' he said calmly.

As he lay Lily on the bed gently he caught Emma looking at his arm in disgust. His mother immediately started fussing around asking for water and some herbs. Emma ran to obey while the other boys stood around staring. Ray could hear his Father and Grandfather fighting outside about what was to be done. The small girl stood next to the door frightened, her hands behind her back. Her eyes were wide as she followed his mothers every movement.

'All boys out of the room please,' his mother's voice was quiet but stern. When Ray was the only one to start moving her voice was firmer, 'Ray, please take all the boys outside and make sure they are busy.'

Emma watched intently as Ray's mother removed the girl's shirt and bandage. She threw them without looking onto the jacket already lying on the floor. She carefully rolled the girl onto her stomach and began bathing her wounds with the bowl of water Emma held for her.

'Excuse me but is there a place where I could wash my sister's shirt, please?' the small child had already folded the jacket and put the girl's hat on top. Emma noted that her speech was rough but she had obviously been taught manners.

When Ray's mother turned around she became more timid, 'Just outside my dear. Ray will show you if you ask.'

'Thank you Madame,' she did a small curtsy and hurried out of the room.

'Nice child,' Emma nodded her consent and turned her attention to the lifeless form on her bed.

The girl looked to be about fifteen, only a year older than herself. Her dirty brown hair, so unlike her own long dark blonde, sat not in one wave like usual but in separate pieces, bouncing around her face. She could not see the girl's forehead, it was covered by a fringe that stopped just before her eyebrows.

Her eyes were closed but Emma guessed that they would be light blue like her sister's; she could already see that their eyelashes and brows were alike. Emma awoke from her pondering with a voice talking to her.

'Emma pass me another cloth, please. I hope the men are not burning dinner,' she was handed a bloody cloth as she handed over a clean one.

She resumed her relentless inspection, seeing every flaw. The girl's nose was nice although it looked as if it had been broken in more than one place. Her lips and chin were average, not prettier than her own.

Overall the girl could have been beautiful but the streets filth was smeared on her face and scratches and scars covered her arms and shoulders. Why then did Ray like her so? It is not fair, she thought as the green monster of jealousy clawed at her insides.

Ray watched as the boy's played in the yard; the blueprints still running through his head. At first he did not hear the voice or feel the tug on his sleeve.

'Sir, Sir. Your mother told me to ask you something,' the girls eyes pleaded with Ray's.

'What would you like to ask?' he bent down so he was her height.

'Where can I wash this, please Sir?' she held up the blood spattered shirt.

Ray sighed, 'I'll take you there if you promise me one thing.'

'Promise you what, Sir,' the girl was confused, she hadn't done anything wrong or had she?

'Not to call me sir. Call me Ray,' he could see the girl pondering this; he swore her little brain never stopped working.

'Ok, Ray,' she finally decided. He stood up and offered a hand. The girl did not budge, Ray shrugged his shoulders and led her to the metal tub.

Ray filled the tub talking all the while to the girl. She remained silent as he found the rack and a brush. Questions about her and her sister poured fourth from his curious mouth as he found some soap but still she remained silent.

'Do you need some help? Will you ever speak?' he asked as he kneeled next to the scrubbing girl.

'I don't need any help, but thank you. I will speak only what I wish to tell you, if you slow down your questions,' she said determinedly, looking coldly at Ray and then down at the shirt again.

'What is your name?' he would start off with easy questions. This girl did not trust him.

'I am Kira. My sister is Lily,' her words were clipped.

Ray ran his fingers through his hair, 'How old are you?'

'Five years younger than my sister, who is fifteen,' the brush was working slowly at the crimson shirt.

This young girl's high voice and height was deceiving; she was really a headstrong girl, who was polite but did not speak plain enough for a girl her age.

'Where is your family?' Ray asked carefully.

The girl took out a soapy hand out of the red water and pointed, 'Church.'

Ray rocked back on his heels as if he had taken a blow, 'I'm sorry.'

'Why should you be? It is my family, you did not know them,' the girl did not seem effected by the fact her family was dead. Maybe the harsh rat race of life had pushed all memories from her head. Ray did not know, nor understand. He would be devastated to lose his family.

'Where do you live?' Ray could hear yells of "Arrr, me hearties!" outside and the sound of wood clashing against wood. They boys were fine.

'Cheapside. Over a shop on the main street,' he could see he was not going to get any more from her about that subject.

The girl was closed and did not trust anyone except for maybe her sister. Years on the street of harsh reality can do that to anyone, Ray thought, but she is too young; too young to be like this.

'How long has your sister been working?'

'Since she was, let's see, if I'm ten,' she held up some fingers and counted, 'Since she was nine.'

'That's not too bad I suppose. I think the shirts clean, what do you think?' he asked timidly not sure whether he wished to know more about their past or not.

'Do you have a line where I can hang this, please Si…Ray?' she wrung out the shirt hard, she was not at all weak for a ten year old.

'Follow me,' the black raven of night was slowly spreading it wings.

'What are the Rancour Warriors you were talking about before?' in an instant Ray knew he had asked too much.

The girl remained silent as she had every right to.

They were just heading back to the house when Mother called them in for dinner.

The black masked man slid around in the shadows of the alleyway. He hoped that the youth at the station was telling the truth, if not his blood would be spilt tonight just like the others before him. It would be a pity really, the boy reminded him of what he was at that age. He would spare the lad.

The stairs to the small room above were rusting slowly. The door at the top once might have been elegant but it now hung crookedly on its hinges; its wood splitting from corner to corner.

The lock was old but probably still worked, his pick would make short work of it. He leaned close to the lock, his ear pressed against the door. The night was cold and the wind made his black shirt flutter in the wind. The hair thin pick moved around in the lock, guided by an expert hand. Finally he heard a small click.

Standing up he pressed hard against the door expecting it to move away freely. It did until it hit a chain attached to both the door and wall.

'Damn,' he swore under his breathe. The leader of the Rancour was more aware of how valuable her life was than he thought.

Against ever secret fibre in his body he gave the door a mighty kick. If they hear me it doesn't matter any more, they are as good as dead anyway, he thought. The chain was wrenched from the door taking massive pieces of splintered wood with it. There was no other way he could possibly get in. The windows were high and barred.

The Masked Man came forward quickly but silently, his pistol pointed in front of him. The house was silent, too silent after a door was just kicked down. The Rancour Leader had proven herself to be smart so far. She couldn't give up now could she?

The large room he entered was bare but for a stove, small table and two chairs. He wondered if he had the wrong house. Surely the Rancour Leader would have more than this? The only other door led to the bedroom.

'No where to run and no where to hide,' he whispered to himself, he would laugh if he could but it was not safe.

The handle slowly turned and the door gave way easily to reveal a bed of straw. A torn and patched blanket was draped over the top of the bed with a bulge underneath. It moved up and down, rhythmically breathing. It's just too easy, he told himself.

Foot over foot he crept towards the bed on the floor. He pulled back the blanket quickly and aimed his pistol.

A gunshot sounded in the night air. A long howl followed.

A/N: Sorry if there are no breaks between places, I put them there but they don't seem to show up. If you are confused by this chapter it will all be explained later. Please R&R.

Please criticize if you don't like something because it helps writers a lot, but I am only a teenager writing in her spare time.

Therefore the next chapter might take awhile to be posted, sorry.

Note: The author may have changed history in parts to suit her fictional story


	3. Awoken

Disclaimer: I do not own Steamboy or anything related to Steamboy

Steamboy: The Rancour

Chapter 3: Awoken

The morning sun gleamed through the window, casting Ray's shadow onto the opposite wall. He had been sitting here since breakfast waiting for Lily to wake up. He wanted to know more about the pair of amazing people he and his Grandfather had stumbled on. He wasn't going to get any answers from the small child although she was in her way beginning to trust them.

The child could also not tell him how the blueprints worked. He had asked her and she had earnestly told him that she did not know. She was not an inventor, she did not understand science.

A quiet knock on the door woke him from his thoughts. He turned to find Emma and the youngest of the boys holding her skirt come in. The boy came over and peered at the girl.

'She's pretty. She also pretty dirty,' he exclaimed and ran out of the room giggling at his own joke.

Ray sighed at the boy and stood up to offer his chair to Emma; she took it with gracious thanks. He went into the next room and found another chair. Placing it next to Emma's he sat down again.

'You've been here all morning, Ray. Do you think the girl might stop breathing in her sleep?' she laughed at this, 'Why have you really been here?'

'Lily's blueprints are amazing but I do not think the second one will work. I need to talk to her about them. I also want to know more about her and her sister; did you know that we found Lily working at the station yard?' Ray looked at Emma and back to Lily.

'So her names Lily; isn't it a tad disrespectful to call her by first name Ray. What a dreadful name to give to a girl who acts like a boy. The clothes she came in were awful; dressing up like a man. It's not right. I'll give her some of mine,' Emma hoped he wouldn't defend the girl.

'It's actually quite a nice name, Emma, and I don't know her last name. And what's wrong if she has to dress as a man to work? Please do not be spiteful towards her because she is in your bed, Emma. You said you slept well in my bed, and I didn't mind the floor,' Ray pleaded with her. If Lily woke up to an angry Emma it wasn't going to be a pretty sight.

Why was Emma acting like this? She was usually the most kind, caring young lady that ever was. He was as fond of her as if she was his sister. Why did she dislike this girl? Ray pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind but they resurfaced to trouble him many times.

There was a ruffle of sheets and a painful moan; both looked at the bed. The girl moved her arms and legs slowly as if she were in deep pain.

'She's waking up,' Emma whispered.

'Well you would think so wouldn't you?' Ray didn't like being told the obvious, especially by girls.

Lily suddenly sat up, took one look around her and screamed.

'Whoa, whoa, oh no!' Ray lost his balance with shock and fell backwards off his chair, legs kicking in the air.

Emma looked into the bright blue eyes which were so frightened and heard the rough voice, much lower than her own screaming over and over. This shocked her so much she screamed too without noticing and ran out of the room, without even so much as a glance at Ray, to find Mrs. Steam.

When Ray opened his eyes once more he noticed that the screams had eventually stopped and a hand reached out to help him up. Once up he looked again at this wild girl, her hair all over the place now. A nightgown, probably Emma's, was to short ending just below her knees.

'I don't mean to be rude but is Kira alright?' urgency surrounded her question.

'Yes she is fine. Please,' he gestured at the bed, 'Sit down, I think Emma went to fetch Mother.'

She sat in silence taking in every little thing about the room, 'Where are we?'

Ray righted the chair and sat down, 'My father's house.'

Lily leaned back against the wall but quickly righted herself with a yelp of pain.

'How is your back?' the boy sounded concerned.

Lily bit her lip to stop herself from crying, 'Its okay, thank you. And no offence, Sir, but are you Ray Steam or am I seeing things?'

He smiled and his dark brown eyes lit up, 'No, I'm Ray Steam. The walls would be purple if you were seeing things, believe me.'

'I'm sorry about the scream before….' she started but never finished.

They both looked up at the sound in the corridor, footsteps. The room suddenly filled with the scent of herbs that always hung around people after they had been cooking.

'You're awake, my dear! Wonderful! How is your back?' a motherly looking figure came bursting in with a girl and two boys behind her.

'It is better than before, I thank you very much for your kind hospitality,' Lily tried to sound as appreciative as she could with her back absolutely killing her. From experience she knew it would hurt like this for about an hour, and then the pain would ease into a dull pain in the background.

'That's good. Now let's get you some clothes so you can eat breakfast,' she could not tell if this lady was doing all this of her own goodwill or if the elder Dr Steam had forced her.

'I'm sorry about the scream before, everything was hazy and I didn't know where I was.'

'That's okay dear, you must be very frightened. Emma please go and fetch your largest dress, I think this young lady might be taller than you,' the mothers gaze now landed on Ray, 'Are you going to introduce me or do you not the lady's name either?'

'Mother this is Lily….' He looked at her for a moment and raised his eyebrows.

'Thatcher, Sir,' he rolled his eyes at the last word and Lily had to try hard to stop herself from laughing.

'Mother this is Lily Thatcher. Lily this is my mother, Mrs. Steam,' Ray was not sure he had ever known his mothers name; it was always just mother or Mrs. Steam if they were really bad.

'It is nice to meet you Lily; I hear you're quite the inventor. I've already met your sister; polite young girl,' at this moment Emma came rushing back with a cream dress with a dark blue apron.

'Ray, please go and put some breakfast on the table and wait there for us. Emma, please fetch some water to wash with while I get acquainted with Lily,' and with that Emma and Ray were ushered out of the room.

A/N: A short chapter compared to the rest; the next is longer. And please if you think this story is going nowhere it does go somewhere. Please R&R. Next chapter up soon.


	4. Who Are The Rancour Warriors?

Disclaimer: I do not own Steamboy or anything related to Steamboy

Steamboy: The Rancour

Chapter 3: Who are The Rancour Warriors?

Ray found Lily sitting on the back step; the children were playing Hide and Seek in front of her.

'What are you doing?' he asked casually.

'Watching the sunset and being a judge in the game. How was work?' Lily looked up and moved over, her shadow thrown over the wall as she did so.

Ray sat down and handed Lily one of the mugs he was carrying; she accepted it gratefully, Ray wasn't surprised as according to his Mother she had been working hard to find a job all day. The back step was hard but had been warmed by the golden afternoon sun.

'As usual as it can be,' Ray took a large swig of his drink. It burnt his mouth and throat but it was reviving after a long day of hard work at the factories.

A comforting silence sat between them for a while, the only sounds were the birds singing their last songs of the day and the children's giggles of delight. Ray just watched the blissful sight of the sunset; its reds, golds and pinks were splashed artfully across the sky.

'I can't believe we've been here a whole week,' Lily stated as she watched Kira sprinting around the small backyard trying to find the boys.

Ray chuckled, 'Mother can be very persuasive when she wants to be. Any luck trying to find work today? '

'Ah, I see you've been talking to Mrs. Steam haven't you? No luck even as a boy; all works taken. It's going to be hard finding any, more people are coming into the cities,' Lily sighed and stared into the swirling liquid in her cup.

'You know you are welcome to stay here for as long as you want; you may not have noticed but we all love you as sisters now.'

'I have noticed and all of you are too kind to us. Especially you Ray. But I fear we have intruded too long for Emma's liking,' Lily took an unladylike swig of her drink and pondered the purple tinted clouds above her head.

'Don't worry; Emma does like you, she just not used to strangers or people sleeping on her bedroom floor. I know she's being a bit odd and you have been so kind; she just needs to get used to you,' Ray comforted Lily although he had no idea why Emma was acting like this and was quite sure she hated Lily.

Lily mumbled something Ray couldn't quite hear and was sure he probably didn't want to hear but she covered it up by stating, 'I can't wait to meet this Miss Scarlett you talked of the other day.'

'Where did you go on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday night? Mother said you went to see a friend,' Ray quicky tried to change the subject to her mysterious disappearances, which he was actually quite curious about. Scarlett wasn't someone he was willing to think about at the moment. They hadn't parted on the best terms.

Lily fumbled with her cup for a moment and also most dropped it; Ray instinctively reached out and steadied her hand. She laughed shakily, 'I guess you two aren't friends after all, are you?'

'Hmmm, let's just say we have our differences. In fact I don't think we can actually agree on any subject; especially one subject,' the last few words were quieter and were followed by sigh of exasperation. Lily decided to drop it and bring up what she had tried to avoid.

'Ray there is something I must tell you; if you promise to not tell a soul unless I let you,' Ray looked into Lily's eyes and found that she was dead serious.

He grasped her hand, 'You know I would never tell anyone, Lily.'

'I am the leader and founder of a rather large army of young men and women between the ages of thirteen and fifteen. They are the Rancour warriors that you heard Kira speak of before. I train them to fight. They usually train at the station yard but I no longer work there and I had to go to the training sessions to tell them that there was no training until a key was found,' Lily looked away as if telling this to Ray was one of the most painful things she ever had to do.

'How many people do you have so far?' Ray was stunned, no wonder she wanted to keep this quiet; it was illegal in more than one way he was sure. He was confused by the key part but though he might leave that alone.

'Three hundred and fifty,' Lily could not meet Ray's eye and tried to let go of his hand but he would not let her.

'What are they trained with?' this was incredible, how could she have rounded up this many people from Cheapside.

'With pistols, without, wooden sticks and staffs, anything you might just find around on the ground. And I have a fifty special archers, I have trained with bows.'

'How on Earth did you get bows?! And even so how do you know how to use one!?' Ray had heard of bows but never seen or held one before.

'I know someone who makes them well and I know too. My Father was skilled with…weapons from long ago and he taught me well,' was the only hesitated reply he got.

'How long have you been training undercover like this?' Ray had so many questions he wanted to ask but could not think straight. His thoughts were spinning and he could no longer hear the children playing or anything else for that matter; just Lily's words rining in his head.

'A couple of years, maybe three but we are all very high standard,' Lily looked up from her mug still trying to feebly pull her hand out of Ray's.

'How did you come up with the name 'Rancour'? Doesn't it mean resentment?' Ray was fascinated even though he knew he shouldn't be.

'It does for me; but its main meaning is found if you add a 'g' so it becomes rangcour. In another language, I forget which, that translates as Station Yard,' she gave him a small smile, 'just to show you all that we are not completely stupid.'

'But why?' that was the only question that still puzzled Ray.

Lily's countenance immediately grew grave and clouded. It seemed as if she were looking straight through Ray's eyes to the growing dark behind. The clouds were being slowly sucked into the sunset behind her, no longer purple and pink but blue.

'For reasons you will one day understand but not now. You have not known enough of revenge and pure hatred yet to comprehend,' Lily's eyes were completely light blue. It was all you could see but Ray was not afraid; Lily was not a monster.

He eventually turned away, 'You would be surprised,' he raised his eyebrows and drank again. The remaining liquid was now cold and chilled Ray.

'Lily! Lily!' a small boys cries broke her reverie, 'Lily, it's not fair! What Kira did was not fair!'

'I'd better go sort this out,' Lily sighed and stood up letting go of Rays hand gently.

'Here, give me your cup. Knowing them you'll be out here for awhile.'

Lily laughed and handed over her cup with thanks. Ray did not know what to think of this odd girl. She raised an illegal army for strange reasons, she worked as a boy, she looked after children with patience and yet through all this there was a good feeling of strong will around her. She was the most unique person he had ever met and would probably ever meet.

'Hey Ray. How was work today?' a girl's voice came from behind Ray.

Ray turned to see Emma sitting down on the step, sweeping her dress underneath her in a ladylike manner. Her hair rippled in the late afternoon sunlight and a smile danced across her lips as she watched Lily talking to children.

'Better than yesterday, thank you,' she watched Lily awhile longer before he observed, 'Why do you not like her?'

Emma considered for a moment before concluding, 'Because she is crude, manly and I do not think she likes me very much.'

Ray was not sure Emma meant what she was saying; the night was growing colder and darker by the minute, 'I can't imagine why you would think that she does not like you, in fact she tries very hard to please you. She is rough in some ways but I wouldn't call Lily manly.'

'Well as she tries so hard for me it will be a pity to see her go tomorrow,' Emma's voice quavered here and Ray was sure that the girl would really love Lily as they did if only this invisible barrier did not exist between them.

At that time Ray did not realise that the invisible barrier on Emma's side might be him.

'Tomorrow!? Emma, when did you find this out!?' twilight was now upon them and Ray had not even heard a word of this.

'Oh, my mistake. Hasn't Lily told you yet? She discussed it with Mrs. Steam today,' they both looked at the children now happily running to Mrs. Steam's call of dinner.

Lily approached them carefully, obviously not wanting to intrude on any private conversation, 'Are you both coming in for dinner or shall I say you will be late?'

Ray felt the anger and hurt, burning hot, rising inside him. He thought he would be the first to know that they were going! He and Lily had a bond of trust that he couldn't explain in words; or so he had thought.

'We will be going in now,' Ray said coldly offering his hand to help Emma up. He could see the hurt in Lily's eyes; pleading with him to let her right, what she had done so wrong, even though she did not know what she had done.

While they all walked inside together he almost felt triumphant, until he realised what he had really done and then guilt rose steadily until he could not bear it.

'Lily, sing for us after dinner! Tell us stories!' all the children hung off Lily's dress pleading with her. The children had loved it one night when Kira made Lily sing for them; she had the voice of angel, and all agreed. It was perhaps the only very feminine thing about her, everything else she did was not.

Ray stared at the floor. How could he be so cruel as to shoot at an angel?

The entire house was at the door after breakfast saying what they thought was a final good bye to the guests that had become family.

'Ray?' Lily approached him carefully, and Ray considered whether he should say sorry.

'Yes,' his answer was blunt.

'You're welcome to come and train anytime you want with the…army,' Lily tried to make an apology for what, she did not know, but she did not want to part with Ray on bad terms.

'No thanks,' Ray could not meet her eye and instead it fell upon Kira hugging the boys, small diamond tears falling down her cheeks. How could she have come to love them as brothers so quickly; maybe it was in the nature of younger children to convey pure love more easily?

Kira tugged upon his sleeve and he lifted her up to his eye level, 'We'll meet again, won't we Kira? And I shall bring the boys and we shall all be very happy.'

Ray saw only the slightest glimpse of truth in his words.

Kira only let forth another burst of tears and hugged him closer. Ray looked over at Lily who only shook her head and stared at the ground. He knew that she thought it was bad for Kira to be so attached something.

'I know something that you will one day come to understand, Ray. And then you will regret it. Good bye,' was Kira's only response.

Mrs. Steam hugged Lily affectionately, 'Come back any time dear. We loved having you to stay; perhaps I shall let the Dr's bring home more amazing people.'

'We cannot thank you enough for everything you have done for us Mrs. Steam; Dr Steams,' after Lily said this she did the most odd thing that seemed only to intrigue Ray and his grandfather.

No one else had picked up that Lily had crossed her legs as if to curtsey but at the last moment had bowed like a man.

'Where were you taught to bow like that?' Dr. Lloyd stared at the girl in such a way that she began to withdraw under his gaze. She looked at him in surprise, as if there was nothing wrong with it.

'By my friend. She said that I should bow like a man but never forget who I am and half curtsey like the woman I should have hated to be. She said balance was the key to life; I love to work as a man and I would have hated to be caged like a woman. Therefore it's balanced. She was incredibly intelligent; she has taught me nearly all I know,' for a moment only she was lost in a deep memory somewhere.

Ray shrugged his shoulders, as it seemed a logical idea but his Grandfather was not so easily contented, 'Who was your father?'

Lily hesitated obviously, 'Come girl! Who was your father?'

Lily was usually a confident girl but faced by this odd question, and under the sometimes crazy gaze of his Grandfather, Ray could not blame Lily for shrinking back, 'Thomas Thatcher.'

Kira stared at Dr. Steam, totally confused, but Mrs. Steam ushered them out of the house with a friendly, 'Come Lloyd, you are scaring the poor girl. Good bye my Dears!'

Emma surveyed the whole scene from a corner in the room. She was content to see them go but pretended to be sorry as Lily took leave of her.

She was totally disgusted that Mrs. Steam and the boys would want to hug the girl goodbye in her work clothes. They were ripped and patched in places and the coal dust that was now everywhere covered the pants. The blood staining the back was now hardly visible.

Emma was astounded when Lily shook hands with the older men. It was just not done; she had been raised to be respectful but none of them seemed to mind this girl.

Her sister was better by quite a bit in Emma's book. She wore a dress, curtseyed respectfully and held rather quiet, sensible and suppressed views of the world which every woman should. Lily differed in opinion with many and showed it, but by coincident Ray though nearly exactly the same as her.

As Dr. Steam asked the rather unusual question about Lily's father, Emma though back to one of the first days they had spent together. Emma had asked whether Lily's parent would mind about them staying for awhile. Lily had answered 'no' with an odd glazed look that had suddenly fallen over her eyes. Emma had been woken many a night, silently screaming from a bad dream, by those very eyes. She shuddered for a moment.

All children in the room looked absolutely wretched as Lily and Kira left for what Emma knew as the last time, ever. They would not dare come back. She watched from the door as they made their way down the path, blooming in flower. The beautiful scents wafted through the door with the cold wind that was solely picking up.

One of the smaller boys ran out grabbing a flower as he went. He ran up to Kira, handed her the blood red flower embarrassedly and ran back. Kira stood for a moment gazing at first the flower and then up at the gray sky; she waved at the boy. That was when the wind really began to pick up, howling through the trees.

Emma saw Ray leaning against the wall, every howl piercing him, forcing the grief deeper into him. She wished she could comfort him but her triumph was too great at the moment. She would only hurt him more.

The gate crashed shut after them and Emma watched as with that Ray sank down the wall, tears running down his face. He sat with his arms resting on his knees and his head turned towards the door. He suddenly sprang up and raced out the door.

'Where are you going!?' Emma yelled at him from the empty doorway.

'To right what is wrong!' Ray slammed the gate shut behind him and she watched him from the doorway.

That was when the relentless rain started to pour down in huge clear tears from the sky.

A/N: If the breaks still aren't showing up, I'm really sorry.

Please Read and Review because it really does help, even if it is criticism.

The next chapter should be up soon, and um yes. If you're not reviewing but reading, enjoy.


	5. Mystery Murder

Disclaimer: I do not own Steamboy or anything related to Steamboy

Steamboy: The Rancour

Chapter 5: Mystery Murder

The rain slanted harshly with the wind across Ray's face, he could hardly see through it. The storm was quite bad, it was madness for anyone to be out in it but Ray had to say sorry. He could see two figures walking slowly through the rain; one walked in a shirt and braces as if the rain did not exist, while the other huddled under two coats.

'Lily! Kira!' Ray knew his calls would not be heard over the thunder. He ran to catch up with them and soon he could hear Kira chatting away about the weather; he could not hear Lily speaking but could sense her cold mood anyway.

'Lily?!' it was almost a question as if he were asking permission to speak her name.

She turned around, her hair plastered in ringlets around her face. The rain ran down right underneath her eyes when she looked at him as if she were crying; maybe she was Ray would never know for sure.

'What do you want from me now? I have nothing else to tell you than what you have heard?'

'Lily, I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry,' Lily still looked upon him coldly without speaking. He just wished she would say something, anything to break the terrible silence.

'Do you even know why I am angry with you?' he didn't know how she managed to be so expressionless all the time.

'Because Emma told me you were leaving and I was angry at you because I though you would tell me first. And ever since she told me I have been cold to you and if this is not the reason then I don't know why I am out here for you!' Ray was annoyed again at Lily's blank, uncaring countenance. The rain was beginning to soak through all his garments, and the cold was bone chilling.

'If you don't know why you're out here for me then go home …Steamboy,' the name seemed so like a dismissal that Ray was stunned. No one had ever called him that except for his Grandfather; how did she even know he went by that name?

'Lily wait,' she had already turned her back on him, but a thought had suddenly hit him, 'I'm out here for you because I want to help you and Kira back home.'

Lily kept walking; she could tell when he was lying. He knew the words he wanted to say, why wouldn't they come out? She and Kira were getting further away now; she probably wouldn't even hear him.

'Because you mean everything to me!' he yelled at the dark figures in the growing rain. One immediately stopped and turned around. He walked up to the figure his cheeks burning, and all of a sudden he wished he hadn't yelled that.

'You can help us then,' she smiled at him in her odd way and he walked with them back home.

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The rain was thundering down outside and it was quite possible there would soon be a storm upon their hands. The wind howled violently and shook the windows in such a way that you thought they might break. The Dr.'s sat at the table puffing away at their pipes, while Mrs. Steam prepared dinner.

'If she is who I think she is then she is a trapped soul; a trapped and tortured soul. You cannot blame her,' the elder Dr. Steam leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

'How can she be trapped and tortured; she always seems so happy and has such a beautiful voice hidden within her. She is a helpful, kind, polite girl and the only reason she has no husband is because she's so…so…manly,' Ray's mother stood hand on hip stirring a pot, trying to find the right words for Lily.

'Why would she want a husband when she is bound for greater things, like the exhibition?!' everyone in the kitchen was amazed at Dr. Lloyd, Edward stopped blowing circles in the air and almost choked.

'You are not serious now Father! A woman, enter the exhibition with inventions! A poor one at that! Who has not even a man to stand by her! I doubt it!' Dr. Steam slammed his mug down on the table with contempt.

'Now Eddie, you never know; she shows the same enthusiasm for it that Ray does. The same enthusiasm you once showed. What if they both went together! She will get herself there one way or another,' the Dr. seemed very sure of his words.

'I don't think anyone's noticed but Ray seems fond of this girl; so don't you go getting any crazy ideas like that into his head! He's bad enough as he is with both of your blood flowing through him,' Mrs. Steam waved her ladle at them threateningly before turning around again.

Dr. Edward ran his hand through his hair that was growing back and shrugged his shoulders at his father.

Emma came scooting around the doorway, her hands waving in the direction of the front doorway, 'Mrs. Steam! Ray's run after them!'

Mrs. Steam almost knocked the pot off the stove as she quickly turned around, her mouth open and moving but not making a sound.

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The stairs leading up to Lily and Kira's house weren't the most stable things Ray had ever seen. In fact he didn't quite know how they went up the creaky old things with such ease. The only good thing was the stairs were covered by a small porch roof. As they went up the stairs, shaking the water out of their hair and clothes, Lily pulled out something Ray had not noticed before; a small key on the end of a thin but sturdy looking chain.

Lily was about to do something very odd, well to Ray anyway because Kira just stood there like it happened all the time, which it probably did. Lily was in the middle of unlocking the bars on the window when she looked around at a small bang and yelped.

Their front door had just slammed into the wooden frame of the doorway; it cloud no longer slam closed as it hung wearily off its hinges. There were marks all over the door and some blood on the handle too.

'I don't recall us leaving it like that,' Lily half heartedly joked while she stifled Kira's scream with her hand. Ray stood there speechless and stunned; a shiver ran up his spine or maybe that was just the water dripping down his back from the leak in the roof. He regained his thoughts and control of his limbs quicker than the women.

'Do you have any weapons lying around the yard, like a lead pipe or something?' he asked as he looked around the soaked alleyway behind their house.

'Don't worry, I'll go in first,' Lily bent down and reached into her boot, withdrawing a small dagger. Kira still stood there her mouth agape as she stared at the silver blade, obviously this was another one of Lily's small secrets.

'If this break in is what I think it is, you don't want to go first,' Lily understood and handed the dagger over, Ray quickly looked at it and joked, 'By the way, do you ever run out of surprises?'

Lily lopsidedly smiled at Ray before turning to Kira, 'Kira, I think it's best if you stay out here. Okay?'

'Why am I never allowed to see bad things?! It's not fair! I'm not even allowed to do Rancour work!' Kira stomped her foot like a stubborn ten year old, which she wasn't, despite her age.

'We have been over this; you are not allowed to see bad things because you don't want to grow up like me. And stop acting like a stubborn, spoilt ten year old. Understood?'

'But I am a ten year old, Lily. And that's what you don't understand,' Kira said in a soft voice and turned away from her sister to face the dripping rain.

'But you are so much older in spirit,' Lily rested a hand on Kira's head but Kira drew away from her touch. Lily sighed and left her sitting there on the step, contemplating the dark sky. She nodded at Ray to enter and he stared at the disfigured door for a moment.

Ray pushed the door open slowly; it creaked hideously on its hinges. The small, dark room it opened onto smelt badly like blood.

All curtains were closed and only a tiny stream of light was coming from a crack in one of them. Dust floated lazily in the small beam of light, dancing to the faint rhythm of the busy street below.

Everything was still, too still for Lily's liking, the cat at least should be moving about.

Ray saw nothing but a few pieces of upturned furniture in the spartan room, there was no where for anybody to hide in here. He moved into the room carefully, Lily two paces behind him. There was only one door leading off the room, it did was open and did not look damaged in any way. He stood at the side of the door and quickly had a look around; again the room was bare, there was no one in it but still Ray thought he might be sick.

'Are you alright Ray?' Lily asked at the pained look on Ray's face.

'Believe me, there's no one there and you don't want to go in,' the nausea had passed now leaving Ray with a rising hatred at anyone who could be so cruel.

'Let me past Ray, please!' but Ray restrained her repeating that she "did not want to know".

'But I do!' she scrambled out of Ray's grasp and ran into the room to find their cat, Puss, dead with two bullet wounds to the body; but that wasn't the thing that drew her attention. In huge letters across the wall a message was scrawled in the Puss's blood:

'I'll be back!"

She knelt down by the cat, trying not to cry. She and Kira had loved that cat so much, she was always just around to cheer you up; and now because of Lily she had come to pass. She did not need to look up to know that Ray had knelt down beside her. Suddenly the wave of grief that she had never wanted to see again came over her and she threw her arms around Ray's neck and sobbed.

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Ray felt her hot tears, rolling down his neck; but he did not mind, he just put his arms around Lily and let her cry. Although his knees hurt from contact with the hard wooden floor boards, he didn't care. For some reason Ray couldn't explain, he just wanted to remain in embrace with Lily forever. He could feel the warmth coming from her body, even though both of them were in cold and completely soaked shirts; it was comforting.

The floor had blood stains in small puddles all over it. There was a small piece of black cloth lying on the ground, darkly stained. Obviously the cat had tried to take a piece out of the intruder before it died. The words scribbled on the wall were old, Ray could tell, and the dried blood was no longer bright red.

In a very short time Lily had completely put her grief behind her and Ray helped her up. They went over to the wall hand in hand to inspect the blood and ponder over the words themselves.

'This blood is probably about a week old,' Ray concluded after examining it.

Lily looked up at the wall, fear passing over her eyes, 'Six days exactly.'

Ray desperately wanted to ask how she knew, and where she had learnt how to track like that but he though it was best not to.

'What do you want to do now?' he asked giving her hand a squeeze unsure whether he should suggest the police.

'I don't know…..' Her voice slowly trailed off as she looked at the bed. She dropped Ray's hand as if it were a hot coal and rushed over to the bed.

Oh my Goodness! I've got to send a letter to Leroy now! I hope he isn't already hurt! We can't tell anyone!' she ran out of the room to the small writing desk.

Ray advanced towards the bed and stopped dead in his tracks. There were about three gunshots and a lot of blood spilt all over the bed. Ray quickly put the pieces of the puzzle together in his head; the cat, the blood, the writing, and the holes in the bed.

Someone had tried to kill Lily!!!

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'Leroy! Leroy! You're home!' a young girl ran to open the door; pouring rain and wind came in with the young man. He shook the rain out of his dirty blonde hair like a dog.

'Of course I am; where did you think I would go?' Leroy swept his younger sister up in a hug, dropping his bag.

'I thought the rain might have become a big rain and stopped you getting home,' the small girl was only six.

'No, Elsie, The rain was not that big, and I think you mean a flood. Besides, I have to come home, otherwise who will take care of you?' Leroy set Elsie down and took off his soaking jacket and hat. The girl followed him into the kitchen and watched with curiosity as he stoked the fire and lay his went garments over the guard that stood in front of the fire.

'Did you do your chores today Elsie?' there was no one else that lived with them in the small bottom story level; there was a family that lived over head, but other than that only Elsie and Kitty, their cat, were here in the day.

'I couldn't do some of them 'cause of the rain, but I do all the rest,' the girl patted the cat who ran into the room towards the fire, desperately trying to dry itself.

'_Did_,' Leroy corrected her gently as he always did, 'But I _did_ all the rest.'

'Did,' the girl mimicked the word a few times while her brother washed the days work at the Station Yard off his hands.

'I'm going to start dinner; will you please fetch the mail and read it out?' Leroy was only just learning to cope with the child his parent's death, earlier this year, had dumped upon him.

He heard the child thumping down the hallway, pretending she was a knight on her horse. It was hard to take care of a six-year-old, they always had so much energy when Leroy hardly knew how he got to work everyday. The carrots from their very small garden out the back had grown well this year. Leroy looked out the window and laughed inwardly at the rain which was probably why everything was growing so well.

'Leroy! On guard! I have the mail!' Elsie held an invisible sword out in front of her, waving the mail around at the same time.

'Well don't just stand there, have a seat and read it out,' Leroy did not turn to look at the child's sword; he couldn't afford to lose another finger.

'Bill, letter from Aunt Jill and Uncle Robert, bill, a letter to you from what appears to be Lily's handwriting and last of all a letter from Miss Ruby,' at the last name Leroy stopped cutting for a moment and groaned. Would that girl ever just leave him alone?

'Did you say a letter from Lily?!' Lily never wrote to him unless it was an emergency.

'It's not really a letter, more just a folded piece of paper but it's from her,' Elsie had known Lily all her life and Leroy hardly ever got a letter from her.

'Well read it out Elsie,' Leroy reluctantly turned back to chopping up vegetables and putting them into a small pot. He wasn't sure if he wanted Elsie to read this, Lily's last letter had been about how her friend was shipped off with the convicts!

'Leroy,

Something terrible has happened. Someone has tried to kill me for reasons I cannot entrust to paper. I need to speak to you about this matter and training urgently. I am staying at the Steam's residence I will come to see you after work tomorrow; first I must tell the Steam's a bit more about myself and Kira. You are next in line, Take care of yourself and Elsie,

Lily T.' the girl was trembling when she finished the letter. Between them the only sound that could be heard was the pounding rain.

'Someone tried to k…kill Lily? And now…' Leroy stopped dead in his tracks.

'Le, are we in trouble? What does 'next in line' stand for?' Elsie followed Leroy as he ran down the small corridor to bolt the front door but he changed his mind.

Suddenly he stopped and looked around them, 'Grab your coat Elsie; we're going to stay with a friend for awhile.'

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A/N: Long chapter sorry, but basically all chapters in this story are long. If anyone at all out there is reading this FanFic I hope you're enjoying it! I am open to criticism. The middle chapters might take awhile to write because I need a couple of details first.


	6. Who Is Your Father?

Disclaimer: I do not own Steamboy or anything related to Steamboy

Steamboy: The Rancour

Chapter 6: Who Is Your Father?

Every one sat around the kitchen table; Kira, Lily and Ray had blankets draped around their shoulders. All had steaming mugs in front of them to ward off the growing cold.

Emma rested her hand on Ray's arm and Kira was leaning her head and silently crying on the shoulder of one of the boys; she had seen more than she was meant to. Lily could not recall which boy was which at the moment. Her head was spinning and her thoughts were hazy and distracted.

She and Ray had just finished relating what they had seen but no more; already it was too much for Lily's liking. The fatigue from running all the way back was growing on them all as was the mental burden of what they had saw; she knew it would stay with them forever in disturbing images that would not leave.

'Hmm, "I'll be back". Do you know any person at all Lily that would want to kill you?' Dr. Steam looked first at Lily and then into his mug as if it might hold the answer.

'No, Sir,' the lies after all these years now rolled easily off her tongue.

'I think you do know Lily. I think you know a lot more than you're supposed to, girl! Out with it! Who was trying to kill you and why?' the elder Dr. Steam leaned across the table towards her in a threatening manner but Lily did not look up from the table.

'I don't know who but I do know why. I will only tell if you do not hand me over to the police; can I trust you? If I cannot this is going to be one heck of a long night,' Lily's tone did not change, nor her face but everyone withdrew from her a little. The graveness of her air at these facts was scary in a way to nearly all at the table.

'I won't hand you over to the police,' Ray was the first to break the tense silence.

'Nor I,' piped in one of the boys, followed closely by the rest. Dr. Edward consented along with Mrs. Steam. There was a quite murmur from Emma that no one could quite make out and finally every one but Lily was looking at Dr. Lloyd.

He stared at her coldly for a moment longer, 'I won't.'

Lily was dying from the inside as she told her secret to a table of people who were humble and did not need to be burdened by it. She explained all that she had to Ray; she did not look up, she thought her heart might break if she saw the horrified faces of the table and the disgraced face of Kira.

When she had finished a silence fell that could not even be matched by the graveyard; the only thing that shattered it was the constant fall of rain and the occasional crack of lightning followed by a roll of thunder.

'B…but they kill people,' Emma fearfully whispered after a while. Mrs. Steam broke into tears on her husbands shoulder, shaking her head.

'No, that's only a street myth. We only wound people to teach them lessons and they are always people who have done bad things,' Lily knew that many children had heard of the Rancour but whether they heard good or bad she did not know.

'But what do you judge as a "bad thing"?' Kira buried her head on the boy's shoulder as Ray asked this. Lily just sunk lower on her elbows that rested on the table and did not answer.

'Who was your father girl?' Dr. Lloyd suddenly looked up after listening to all this. His brain had been going like clockwork; working out the years, ages and putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

'I've already told you Sir. He was Thomas Thatcher,' Lily let out a sigh and sunk lower, her face now resting on her arms, was no longer visible. She could not tell them, she must not. She could not undo the hard work of so many years that she and her older sister had done.

Ray's Grandfather violently slammed his fist down on the table and everyone jumped except for Lily whose shoulders were now shaking, 'No he wasn't! Don't lie to me young woman! Who was your father!?'

'Thomas Thatcher!' Lily yelled at the table. Would he not leave her alone! He knew too much and both Kira and her whole happiness was now at stake. Please do not let him do this, Lily though violently.

'Who was your father!?!' Dr. Lloyd roared at her; he now stood both hands resting on the table. The tears began to flow; it was not happening, Lily would wake up in a bad dream. She just knew she would, she knew she had too.

'Thomas Thatcher!' Lily lifted her head and screamed at the old man, tears pouring down her face. The old wound opened up inside her, crimson blood of memory spilling out. She could not take it!

Mrs. Steam began to wail, she could not take it and Kira remained frozen, her whole life crumbling before although she would not know the extent of the damage until it had finished.

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Ray saw the girl breaking slowly under the pressure, he wanted to beg his Grandfather to stop; if he didn't the girl would surely snap under the burden of whatever secrets she carried.

'Who Was Your Father!?' Ray was sure that his Grandfather could not yell any louder if he tried. The girls head was buried in her arms and her shoulders were shaking uncontrollably.

She lifted her head and Ray could see the grief flooding his good friend's eyes. She was about to break, she could not contain it any longer.

'Tobias Wilson!' she yelled, her voice breaking, 'Are you happy now! Are You Happy Now!!?' She threw her head back onto the table and cried. The older people in the room gasped; Mr. Steam turned her head away and Emma's grip on Ray's arm was beginning to hurt.

The whole room fell silent; Ray's Grandfather fell backwards into his chair, not saying a word. Kira raised a hand as if to comfort her sister but she could not be reached anymore.

Ray moved away from Emma and put a hand on the girls back but it was soon thrown off. The poor girl was absolutely wretched; her hands ran through her hair pulling at it as if that might relieve her grief. Her eyes were wet and red and she was breathing heavily.

The girl slowly calmed down, her sister standing next to her confused and distraught. Lily was not a selfish girl and soon forgot the grief that stabbed at the place in her which was empty, which should have been filled but was not; instead she pulled the small girl onto her lap and stroked her hair telling her in a soft voice that "she and Louise were sorry".

'But you said Papa and Mama were killed by bad people. Who is Tobias Wilson? That's not Papa's name, and it's not our last name! Why is Dr. Steam lying to us Lily?' the small girl did not cry because she did not understand, she cried because she was a child who craved security in a life that had none; when that security was broken she felt herself vulnerable.

'You are too young to know who Tobias Wilson is my dear. When we have explained him to you perhaps you might understand,' Dr. Lloyd suddenly looked much older, lines streaked his face and a wave of tiredness must have swept over him.

'Dr. Steam didn't lie to you just then, no Kira; it is I and Louise who have been lying to you for a lifetime,' this proved too much for the small girl, all the security she had ever thought she had just shattered into a thousand pieces in front of her.

She pulled away violently from her sister who, with a calm yet eerily sad expression, held on ignoring the kicks and pushes. Lily suddenly just gave up; Ray could nearly not bear watch how easily she finally gave up this child she had raised.

'Ray,' she had run over to him, her last hope, 'You will tell me that she's lying won't you?'

Ray stared at her blankly wishing that he could just wither and die quietly under that innocent gaze and not have to give her the cruel answer she so wished to deny. Kira looked around the table slowly; all faces were turned away from her except one. Lily was silently sobbing, Kira could see her strong frame shaking; she crawled back onto a chair reluctantly to hear out what she finally must know to grow up.

'Who was he?' the people at the table slowly turned their gaze towards the elder Dr. Steam.

'Tobias Wilson was one of the greatest inventors of our time. He was a genius; he invented many things and was a humble man who lived in peace with his family. He had three daughters, two sons and a wife. Everything was happy and fine,' the Dr. told the story in a monotonous voice that had lost all meaning and feeling for this story long ago.

'Are you sure all the children need to hear this?' Mrs. Steam cut in looking nervous.

'They need to understand. And so,' he said turning back to the rest of the table, 'everything went fine for awhile until one day when Tobias went a bit…mad. Many said his work was blasphemous so the devil was in his head torturing him but this is an old legend. What had happened, and I'm not a man for medicine, but what had happened was Tobias had gotten an illness which made him see things that weren't there; it made him hear voices that weren't there. And one of these voices told him that his family was plotting to kill him.'

Some of the children with drew, knowing that this story wasn't going to be pleasant, but some luring attraction kept them in their seats. The wind howled outside and banged the shutters; the evening was growing old. Soon the candles would last no longer.

'Now Tobias was still an incredibly smart man so he planned to kill them but make it look like an accident. Like one of his inventions had blown up. So one night he put wood and coal around the house where they would no be noticed and said he was going to a tavern for a while. Outside the house he lit it before he left and then ran down to the bar where he stayed until the neighbors came running down the hill to tell him his house was on fire!'

'What about the family, Grandfather?' one of the boys voices quavered out his mother skirt.

'The singed bodies of the wife and sons were found but they never found the bodies of the daughters. But in the ruins they also found the coal, some wood and the tinder and flint he had used. They questioned Tobias until he finally caved in and told them what he did,' Ray's Grandfather sighed and looked as if the last part of the tale was the hardest to tell to children so young.

'Tobias was found guilty of murder and hung publicly from the neck until dead. They thought it was the only thing that would be suitable for punishment, even if not completely correct. It just shows you how badly madness can alter the mind.'

The room sat in silence and the child shuddered and sobbed at the truth of her real father; she had always known the story to be otherwise.

'I'm sorry, dear children,' Ray's Grandfather questioned no one in particular.

'How did you know that he was her father?' Ray was confused by all this; it was like he was living in some never-ending nightmare with a dream twined around its black edges.

'I knew Tobias before he went mad. His daughter has some of the same traits as him; and I'm sure that Lily has learnt all she knows from him. But what gave her away was her eyes; Tobias had blue eyes just like hers that were sometimes so bright it looks like they have no pupil,' Emma remembered back to when she had first seen Lily wake up and how those eyes had frightened her. She had looked like a dragon awaking from a deep sleep.

'It's been a long day,' Ray's Grandfather rubbed his face with his hands and got up to look for his pipe. That was all the dismissal that the children needed; they followed Mrs. Steam in a slow trickle out the kitchen door.

It was very late and the younger ones could hardly walk; Emma held onto a small hand while Ray, Lily and Kira carried the others. Ray could see that Lily's eyes shone proudly on her younger sister who took the news very badly yet could still help others.

The three oldest had rooms further up the corridor, and when they had left the youngsters with Mrs. Steam they proceeded further into the dark. The wind had blown all lights out and the flashes of lightning formed strange shadows on the wall.

But somehow on the way down that corridor all this didn't matter to Ray since Lily's hand had found his.

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A/N: Sorry about the long wait before updating. Christmas and New Year is a busy time especially when you go away for a week.

Please R&R if you wish and I hope you're enjoying the story so far!

The next update might be awhile because I'm still looking for the research I need.

Thanks and Happy New Year,

WaterSpirit1


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